Nashik is one of the most important cities
of Northern Maharashtra. Nashik, in Maharashtra, is situated at a distance of 200 km from Mumbai (Bombay) as well as Pune.
The city has become the center of attraction because of its beautiful surroundings and cool and pleasant climate. Nashik has
a personality of its own due to its mythological, historical, social and cultural importance. The city, vibrant and active
on the industrial, political, social and cultural fronts, has influenced the lives of many a great personalities. The river
Godavari flows through the city. Temples and ghats on the banks of Godavari have made Nashik one of the holiest places for
Hindus all over the World.

On the way to Gangapur dam, tourists are fascinated by the beautiful nature spot called "Someshwar". There is a temple
of Lord Shiva and Lord Hanuman on the banks of the river

Godavari. The area is covered with greenery
all over, with a pleasant climate. Tourists can take pleasure of swimming and boating in the river.Someshwar has been a favourite
location for many a filmshootings. On the way to Someshwar, there is a village named Anandwalli. It is so named because Peshwas
- Anandibai and Raghobadada, lived there for some time. The temple - Navasha Ganpati was built by them.

Deolali Camp

Deolali
Camp is an important Indian military center. Deolali camp which is one of the oldest center in India, is located 16 kms away
from Nashik. The center was set up by the British in 1861. The area surrounded with gardens, playgrounds and wide roads proves
its uniqueness. An officer of the rank of Major General holds the position of the head of the Artillery school here. Beyond
Military centre Deolali market is famous for shoppings. Also Temple Hill nearby is worth visiting. On the hill there is
a famous temple of lord Khandoba, hence the hill is popularly known as Khandobachi Tekadi. In the days of the British Raj,
soldiers who cracked up under the stresses and strains of life in British India were invariably packed off to a military psychiatric
hospital in the small Maharashtrian cantonment town of Deolali, near Nashik, to recover. Its name became synonymous with nervous
breakdown; hence the English idiom "to go doolally", meaning to become insane or eccentric.

Takli

Takli
is the place of saint Samarth Ramdas. He was the Guru (teacher) of Chatrapati Shivaji. Ramdas was a bramhachari (bachelor)
all through his life. He promoted the Hindu religion and told people the importance of simple living and high thinking. Ramdas
ran away from his marriage procession and settled down at Takli. He meditated here for 12 years.He was devotee of Lord
Ram and meditated with the words Shriram Jai Ram, Jai Jai Ram for 13 crores times. After such a long devotion, he left. Ramdas
Swami's ashram is preserved in his memory at Takli. There is also a beautiful Hanuman temple surrounded with greenery on the
bank of river Nandini or Nasardi.

Through ceaseless efforts of Bombay Natural
History Society, World Wildlife Fund and Forest Department of the Government of Maharashtra, this sanctuary which houses more
than 220 species of birds, 400 species of vegetation, 24 species of fish and several smaller mammals came into existence along
the Nandur Madhameshwar dam at the confluence of Godavari and Kadwa. Spread over the protected area of 10000 hectares, lies
the core area of 1765 hectares, where the large variety of water birds,resident and migratory birds congregate in season.
It is now counted as one of the important water fowl habitats in the region by the International Union of Conservation of
Nature.

8 kms by boat, old Shiva Temple also a spot for trekking (Ratangad fort).

Kalusubai Peak

The highest in Maharashtra, 1626 mts above M.S.L. also a wild life sanctuary.

Ghatghar

Picturesque spot, 20 kms away from Bhandardara.

Pemgiri

P55 kms away from Bhandardara towards Akole.

Nashik
Accommodation

Indiatravelite Offers at Nashik

Taj Hotel

Panchavati

Quality Inn Regency

Sun And Sand Shirdi

Shraddha Park Inn

Nashik Trimbakeshwar Temple

Trimbakeshwar Temple. Trimbakeshwar - one of the holy places
of not only Maharashtra but the whole India is near Nashik. Trimbakeshwar is one of the twelve Jyotirlingas in India. The
following verse shall explain the importance of this sacred place and the next one gives names of the Twelve Jyotirlingas
in India.

This says that anybody who visits Tryambakeshwar attains salvation. There
is no sacred place like Tryambakeshwar, no river like Godavari, no mountain like Brahmagiri etc. The reasons for its being
so sacred are - Godavari river originates in this place, its a place of Tri-Sandhya Gayatri, the birth place
of Lord Ganesha, a place of the first Nath of Nath Sampradaya consisting of Gorakhnath and others,
a place where Nivrittinath was made to imbibe the holy knowledge by his Guru Gahininath, a place where Nivrittinath
made his brothers and sister attain the self by his preaching. This is the holiest place to perform Shraddha ceremony.
Nirnaya Sindhu - a religious book of Hindus, mentions that this place, where Sahyadri mountain and Godavari river exist
is very purifying on the whole earth and is therefore very important for performing Shraddha ceremony.

The two significant places

a) Shri Trimbakeshwar Jyotirling and

b)Kushavarta - the place from where river Godavari takes its
course. A dip in this sacred river wipes off the sins, is the belief of people. The sage Gautam committed a sin
of murdering a cow and by taking bath in this river, wiped off his sin.

Location of Trimbakeshwar

About 38 kms away from Nashik Road Railway Station, it is connected by bus
and taxi service. There are modern Dharmashalas (caravansary) built by charitable Gujarathi Community available for stay for
three days to any individual. The stay can be extended by written permission of the trustees. Besides, there are big houses
of Kshetropadhyes (the local priests), where lodging and boarding is made available.

Story associated with Trimbakeshwar

At the time of the marriage of Lord Shiva with Parvati, all the Devarshis
gathered together. Brahmadev, the creator of the Universe, seeing the beauty of Parvati, had a discharge of semen. Lord Shiva
observing this, offered him water of Ganges, the purest water and said, “You will wipe off your sin by this water”.
Brahmadev kept the holy water in his kamandalu (a particular container made out of dried fruit carried by Sadhus) and was
purified by its bath.

ith God Shankar, which was noticed by Lord Shiva’s wife Parvati. She planned to drive Ganges away from her husband.
Parvati and her son Ganesh came to live in Gautama’s Ashrama with Parvati’s friend Jaya. There was a famine
of 24 years and people were affected by the pangs of hunger. However, Varun - the God of Rains, pleased with Sage Gautama
arranged rains every day in Gautam’s Ashrama (dwelling place) which was in Trimbakeshwar. Gautama used to sow
rice in the surrounding fields of his Ashrama in the morning, reap the crop in the afternoon and with it fed a large group
of rishis, who took shelter in his Ashrama on account of the famine. The blessings of the group of rishis increased the merit
(Punya) of Gautam. Lord Indra’s position became shaky because of his increased merit. So Indra ordered clouds
to rain all over Trimbakeshwar, so that the famine will be over and Rishis will go back and the increasing merits of Gautam
will be weakened. Although the famine was over, Gautam urged the Rishis to stay back and kept on feeding them and gaining
merit. Once he saw a cow grazing in the paddy field and he drove her away by throwing Darbha (sharp, pointed grass).
The slender cow died by this. It was Jaya - Parvati’s friend, who had taken the form of a cow. This news upset the Rishis
and they refused to luncheon at his Ashram. Gautam requested Rishis to show a way out of this sin. He was advised to approach
Lord Shiva and request him to release Ganges and a bath in the Ganges would set him free of his sins. Gautam then practiced
penance by going to the peak of Brahmagiri. Lord Shankara was pleased by his worships and gave him the Ganges. However, Ganges
was not prepared to part with Lord Shiva, which irritated him. He made Tandav Nrutya (dance) on the peak of Brahmagiri
and dashed his jata there. Frightened by this action, Ganges appeared on Brahmagiri. Later on Ganges appeared in the Trimbak
Tirtha. Gautam praised her but she off and on appeared on the mountain at various places and disappeared in anger. Gautama
could not bathe in her waters. Ganges then appeared in Gangadwar, Varaha-tirtha, Rama-Laxman tirtha, Ganga Sagar tirtha. Still
Gautama could not bathe in her waters. The Gautama surrounded the river with enchanted grass and put a vow to her.
The flow stopped there and the tirtha thus came to be called Kushavarta. It is from this Kushavarta that the river Godavari
flows up to the sea. The sin of killing a cow by Gautama was wiped off here.

Nashik
Mandir's

Panchavati :River Godavari flows through Nashik and its
Northern part is called as Panchavati. It is said that lord Shri Ram and Sita along with Laxman stayed at Panchavati for some
time. Thus Panchavati has gained holy importance. There are five Banyan (Vad) trees and hence the area is called Panchavati.Nearby
is Sita Gumpha (cave) where Sita is said to have stayed for some time

Sita Gumpha : The
Gumpha (i.e. Cave) is near the five Banyan trees in Panchavati. One can enter the cave with the help of a very narrow
staircase. The cave has the idol of Shree Ram, Laxman and Sita. To the left, one can enter into the cave having
the Shiva Linga. Devotees believe that Ravan kidnapped Sita from the same place.

Ramkund/Gandhi Memorial The most important place in Panchavati
is Ramkund. It is so called because Lord Rama is believed to have taken bath there. Mortal remains (Asthi) immersed
in this kunda, are immediately absorbed in the water. A dip in this sacred kunda is considered very pious. Situated nearby
is Gandhi Lake (Talav) having a memorable monument made out of white marble, in memory of the Father of the Nation. The
ashes were dropped in Ramkund after Gandhiji passed away on 30th January 1948. Mr. Nehru was also present on this occasion.

Kalaram mandir Another important temple is that of Kala Ram. This temple was built by Peshwas. There are great processions
and utsav on Ramnavami, Dasara and Chaitra Padwa (Hindu new year day). The specialty of the temple is that it was built
with black stones.The stones were brought from Ramshej 200 years ago. It took 23 lakhs of rupees and 2000 workers to build
the temple in 12 years. The apex of the temple is made up of 32 tons of gold. In 1930, Dr. Ambedkar performed Satyagraha,
to allow the entry of Harijans into the temple.

Naroshankar Temple : Situated in Panchavati area, on the bank of river
Godavari - fondly called as anga by Nasikites - isNaroshankar Temple of Rameshwar built by Naroshankar Rajebahaddur
in 1747. The architectural style of the temple is called "Maya" style. It is one of the most beautiful pieces of temple architecture
of the 18th century. The main temple is on a platform. Rather than inside of the temple, sculpture on the outer part
is stunning. It has rows of striking designs. One layer is of decorative lacework. The next one is that of peacocks holding
bead garlends. In four directions are statues of the saints in Padmasana - one holding rosary, the other one a holy book -
they are all scholars. Some of the statues are deformed - their hands are broken. There is also an assembly of animals
- tigers, monkeys,elephants etc. This depicts that Hindu culture is not limited only to human beings but also has relation
with birds, animals, trees, and nature in general.

The temple is surrounded by 11 feet fortification. In its four corners are
umbrellas - called "Meghadambari" or "Barasati". One of them was washed away by Godavari floods and only three are existing
presently. The fortification also centres a "Bell house" in the front part. The famous bell , called "Naroshankar
Bell" is fixed there. The bell is a victory memorial over Portuguese. The Maratha Ruler Bajirao Peshwa’s younger
brother Chimaji Appa won the fort of Vasai against Portuguese. The famous knight of Peshwas - Mr Naroshankar Rajebahaddur
played a critical role in this war. After winning the fort, Vasai Portuguese Church bell was removed, marched on elephant
till Nashik with great celebration and offered to Naroshankar as a medal - an award for his bravery. It
is made of bronze, with six feet diameter. The year engraved on it is 1921. The bell jingle can be heard up to 5 miles, it
is said. This bell and its ringing is so famous that a phrase is coined after it in Marathi. If a woman is talking
in a very high pitch, she is called "Naroshankarachi ghanta". Recently renovation of the bell is undertaken by the
Municipal Corporation of Nashik.

Sundarnarayan Temple :Sundarnarayan temple is situated at the corner of Ahillyabai Holkar Bridge. The story goes like
this : Vrinda Devi was a very pious and faithful wife of Jalandar - a wicked demon. Jalandar, a mighty crook, was the
devotee of Lord Shiva. Pleased with his prayers and impressed by Jalandar's wife's chastity, Lord Shiva gave him a boon that
made him immortal. With this boon, Jalandar became vicious and started creating havoc on earth. He not only troubled human
beings, but also disturbed the Gods. He even ventured to pick up a quarrel with Lord Shiva himself. It became necessary to
eliminate him which was contrary to the boon given by Lord Shiva. The only way out was to suspect Vrinda Devi's chastity.
For this task Lord Vishnu duplicated himself to look like Jalandar and lived with Vrinda Devi. Thus her chastity was suspected
and the boon given to Jalandar was withdrawn and he was destroyed. When Vrinda Devi came to know of the trick played by Lord
Vishnu, she got furious and cursed Lord Vishnu. His attractive body turned black due to the curse. Lord Vishnu took a holy
bath in the river Godavari and regained his complexion. Since he became beautiful again, - the Lord is named as Sundarnarayana.
Sundar in Marathi means beautiful.

The Sundarnarayan temple is built by Gangadhar Yashwant Chandrachud in 1756.
The entrance of the temple is to the East. The two Mandaps may be small but their architecture is attractive and the round
dome is made by little ornamental cordons. The arched recesses are impressions by Mughal style because during the Mughal Regime
many temples were demolished by Muslims and graveyards were built in their place. The main deity is of Lord Vishnu - alias
Narayana . To his left and right are Laxmi and Saraswati respectively. Fine design is carved on the stones of the temple.
On the road leading towards Godavari River there is pond named Badarika Sangam Pond. It is said that the king of Devgiri bathed
and performed rites in this pond. We also find a mention of this pond in the holy book Dnyaneshwari. One remarkable thing
about this temple is that it is built at such an angle that on 21st March, rays of the rising Sun first fall exactly upon
the idols.

Godavari Temple : The Godavari Temple was built by Elder Madhavrao Peshwa's mother, Gopikabai in 1760. This temple
is open for devotees only during the period of Kumbhamela (once in 12 years) for 13 months. It is also called Ganga Temple.